Clinical Psychology Doctorate
Study level: Postgraduate
The Clinical Psychology Doctorate is a joint award between Coventry University and the University of Warwick, the aim of which is to train clinical psychologists for work in the NHS and related settings, in accordance with the requirements of both the British Psychological Society's Committee on Training in Clinical Psychology and for registration as a clinical psychologist.
Year of entry
2023-24
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
3 years full-time
Course code
UCAS Code: HLST151
Start date
September 2023
The information on this page is for 2022-23 entry and should be used as guidance for 2023-24 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.
Course overview
This 3-year full time course can lead to a professional qualification in Clinical Psychology (D.Clin.Psych).
- It aims to enable trainees to become reflective practitioners, placing great emphasis on personal and professional development.
- The content of this programme encourages the creative use of psychological concepts and theories in order to solve problems in clinical settings, as well as a collaborative and cooperative group ethos.
- The programme aims to provide students with the academic and research skills commensurate with doctoral status
- On successful completion of the course, graduates are eligible to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical Psychology) (Please see the Accreditation section for further information).

Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects
Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2023Why you should study this course
- This is a 3-year full time course which upon successful completion leads to a professional qualification in Clinical Psychology (D.Clin.Psych.). Upon successful completion, you should be eligible for registration with HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist and have fulfilled the criteria and met the aims of the CTCP accreditation criteria for eligibility for Chartered status.
- The course has been developed between Coventry University, the University of Warwick and NHS providers and was established in 1998. It has a long history of training effective clinical psychology practitioners who have become highly valued and respected members of the health and social care workforce.
- The course is situated within the School of Psychological, Social and Behavioural Sciences at Coventry University and also embedded within the Department of Psychology (Faculty of Science) at the University of Warwick. This context provides a unique academic and practical environment for training clinical psychologists to work in the NHS and trainees additionally benefit from having access to the combined facilities of two universities.
- Study time is divided between academic and research training at both Coventry and Warwick universities, and mandatory clinical placements in the NHS which are sourced for you by the university. During the second and third years of the course, you will complete a research thesis of publishable quality. The programme focuses mainly on evidence-based practice and critical evaluation of both psychological literature and clinical practice. The course places great emphasis on personal and professional development, enabling trainees to become reflective practitioners.
- In each year of the course, you will spend between 41 and 43 weeks on placement. During each of those weeks, you will have either 3 or 4 placement days, equating to 125-130 placement days per year.
- While we would like to give you all the information about your placements, the placement arrangements may vary per student. Please contact the course director for more information about going on a placement for this course.
- Current trainees are full-time employees of the NHS and have annual leave and other benefits in line with the usual NHS entitlements. Fees for current trainees are funded by Health Education England.
Accreditation and Professional Recognition
This course is accredited1/recognised by the following bodies:

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
This programme is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) , the statutory regulator for practitioner psychologists in the UK. It is a legal requirement that anyone who wishes to practise using a title protected by the Health Professions Order 2001 (e.g. Clinical Psychologists) is on the HCPC Register.

British Psychological Society (BPS) - Accredited Clinical Psychology
The programme is also currently accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the University seeks to renew its accreditation each year. The Society is the professional body responsible for developing and supporting the discipline of psychology and disseminating psychological knowledge to the public and policy makers. Successful completion of the programme confers eligibility to apply for Chartered Membership of the BPS and full membership of the Division of Clinical Psychology, in addition to meeting the registration requirements of HCPC and qualification at Doctoral level.
What you'll study
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
The academic programme is structured around the standard academic year of three terms (September to July). For each of these terms in the first year, you are normally scheduled two days a week in the university and three days on clinical placement. Outside of the academic sessions, students will spend three or four days a week on clinical placement with one or two days of each week allocated for private study.
Teaching contact hours
Contact hours vary depending on the module. Please see modules for more information.
The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group activities, and online classes and tutorials.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2022/2023 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.
Assessment methods include:
- Clinical practice reports
- Seminar presentations
- Reflective placement summaries
- Audio/visual recordings of role play exercises
- Competency log and supervisor ratings
- Clinical leadership portfolio
- Service evaluation project
- Research proposal
- Research thesis
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Entry requirements
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK | Health Education England funded - see information below | Not available |
International | Clearing House funding per year | Not available |
Current students are full-time employees of the NHS and have annual leave and other benefits in line with the usual NHS entitlements. Salaries match the Clinical Psychologist Trainee Job Profile, which is Band 6, point 21, on the Agenda for Change pay scales. Fees for current trainees are funded by Health Education England (HEE).
Please note that HEE operates a 2-year psychological professions funding rule which means that once an individual has commenced an NHS-funded psychological professions training programme, a 2-year period will be required to pass from the expected complete date of that training before the funded individual would be eligible for further NHS funding to train in another psychological profession training (where this leads to a change of occupation). For further details please see HEE guidance.
Trainees are currently employed by Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust for the duration of their training. It is expected that the trainees will conduct some of their core placements within Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust, but not all, so for placements outside of this Trust, honorary contracts will be issued as necessary.
Candidates for 2023 entry should check Clearing House Funding for funding updates.
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How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.
If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.
Careers and opportunities
On successful completion of the programme, you should be eligible for registration with HCPC as Practitioner Psychologists and have fulfilled the criteria and met the BPS Partnership and Accreditation Committee’s accreditation criteria for eligibility for Chartered status (BPS, 2017), and demonstrate the academic and research skills commensurate with doctoral status. In particular, you should have the skills, values and knowledge to:
- Carry out high level psychological interventions in line with HCPC Standards of Proficiency (SOP) and CTCP criteria, evaluate their work and communicate effectively with clients, family members and carers, referrers and others, orally, electronically and in writing
- Work effectively with clients, family members and carers from a diverse range of backgrounds, understanding and respecting the impact of difference and diversity upon their lives
- Work effectively with systems relevant to clients, family members and carers including statutory, independent and third sector services, self-help and advocacy groups, user-led systems and other elements of the wider community
- Work in a range of indirect ways including via consultancy, leadership and workforce development e.g. supervision, training, team formulation and service evaluation to improve psychological aspects of health and healthcare
- Conduct research that enables the profession to develop its knowledge base and to monitor and improve the effectiveness of its work
- Understand, apply and critically evaluate theoretical knowledge, as outlined in the CTCP accreditation criteria for training programmes in Clinical Psychology
- Develop high-level skills in managing a personal learning agenda and self-care, and in critical reflection and self-awareness that enables transfer of knowledge and skill to new settings and problems.
There is currently great demand for clinical psychologists within the NHS. The majority of our graduates go on to take up positions in clinical practice.
Where our graduates work
Previous graduates have gone on to work in the NHS, social care, charity and third sector organisations.
How to apply
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UK students
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International students
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Disclaimers
1Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
2UK and international opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.
3Tuition fees
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For Home Students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.
For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
4Facilities
Facilities are subject to availability. Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
5Placements
Satisfactory health clearance and enhanced criminal record disclosure is also required. As part of the health clearance checks you will be required to provide information about your immunity and vaccination status. You will also be required to provide information about your COVID-19 vaccination status. We therefore recommend that you are fully vaccinated including the COVID-19 vaccine. The information you provide will be used to determine your eligibility to go on placement(s). Placements are provided at the placement provider’s discretion. The university is therefore unable to guarantee the provision of placements or the location and type of placement offered.
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. The 2022/23 Contract is currently being updated so please revisit this page before submitting your application. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
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